Improvement in leather-stretching machines



J. H. LEDDY. Leathe r Stretching Machine.-

' Patented May 20,1879.

iii e32 l wmm M v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. LEDDY, OF NEWARK, NEw JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN LEATHER-STRETCHING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,640, dated May 20, 1879; application filed March 10, 1879.

machine adapted to giving length and width stretch; and consists of a frame on and over which a hide is secured, which frame is made to enlarge horizontally and vertically by certain screws acting on the parts, and the expansion gained is held by pins or stops.

A is a base, in the form of a box open on the upper side, and inthis base is placed the lower ends of two upright frames, B, fitted to move vertically or longitudinally in the process of stretching the leather. A bar, S, sliding in the top of the frame-pieces, sustains the leather on the top of the frame. side of these frames, near the bottom, is attached a brace-block, O, and on the ends of the base, below these blocks, are placed jackscrews D, which will elevate the frames and stretch the leather in that direction, the leather being tacked to the base.

WVhen the frame is carried up, in the order ot'tstretching, pins G are put in holes in the base and in the frames, or under the braceblocks H, to hold the hide in a stretched condition.

To secure the longitudinal stretch of the leather, I secure to the inside of the center of each frame, properly braced, a horizontal bar, P. These bars slide on each other, side by side, having a dovetailed tongue and groove to keep them from separation. The frames are spread apart by'the screws I, turning in nuts To the out in the frames, and having an end to extend inward to press against the loose end of the bars P; and by turningthese screws and pressing the frames outward, the lower ends sliding in the base, the leather, tacked to the frames, will be stretched widthwise, and when thus stretched pins M will be put through plates L, projecting from the top of the frames, and into the bar S, and pins K will be put through the base inside of the ends of the frames, to hold the frames and the leather in that position.

When the leather has been properly stretched and the pins all put in place, the leather will be left to dry, and the screws D and I may be taken out and used for another stretcher, making one set of screws answer for any number of stretchers.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I. In combination with the base A, the adjustable upright frames B, made to operate vertically by the lifting-screws D and carry up the bar S, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The frames B, with the horizontal bars P, having their inner ends made to lap and move on each other by means of a tongue and groove, in combination with the screws I, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with the base-A, liftingscrews 1), bar S, and pins G, the adjustable frames B, having the brace-blocks O, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination. of the adjustable frames 

